The eCommerce launch checklist: 40 things to test before you go live

A launch is not the moment the site goes live; it is the moment real customers try to give you money. Everything on this list is something we have seen go wrong on launch day at least once. Work through it, tick it off, then launch.

Payments and checkout

1. Place a real order with a real card, on desktop and on a phone.
2. Refund it, fully and partially, and check the customer receives the refund.
3. Test every payment method offered: cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna, bank transfer. See payment gateways compared.
4. Test a discount code, a free delivery threshold and a gift card if you use them.
5. Check that the order appears correctly in your accounts or ERP system if integrated.
6. Confirm guest checkout works and account creation is optional.

Delivery and tax

1. Every delivery option shows the right price for the right postcode, including Highlands, Islands, Northern Ireland and international if offered.
2. VAT is applied correctly by product and by destination.
3. Order confirmation shows delivery estimate and terms.
4. Courier labels or exports work from the order screen. See courier integration.

Products

1. Every product has a title, description, price, images with alt text and correct stock.
2. Variants (size, colour) select correctly and show the right image and price.
3. Out-of-stock products behave as intended: hidden, or shown with a notify option.
4. Search returns sensible results for your top 20 products.
5. Product structured data validates in Google's Rich Results Test. See eCommerce SEO.

Emails

1. Order confirmation, shipping confirmation, refund notification, account creation and password reset all send, from your domain, and land in the inbox rather than spam.
2. Email domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is configured.
3. Abandoned basket and welcome flows are set up. See email flows every store needs.

Legal and trust

1. Terms and conditions of sale, privacy policy, returns policy and cookie notice are live and linked in the footer.
2. Cookie consent asks before setting non-essential cookies.
3. Company name, registered number, address and contact details appear on the site.
4. Contact page and any forms actually send.

Migration from an old store

1. Every old URL is mapped and redirected (301) to its new equivalent.
2. Old product pages that no longer exist redirect to the closest product or category.
3. The XML sitemap is updated and submitted in Search Console.
4. Customers and order history are migrated if promised, and customers can reset passwords.

Technical

1. HTTPS everywhere, with no mixed content warnings.
2. Core Web Vitals pass on mobile. See speed up your online store.
3. The site works in Safari, Chrome, Edge and Firefox, on iPhone and Android.
4. A 404 page exists and helps people find their way.
5. Backups are running (WooCommerce) or you know how to export data (Shopify).
6. The robots.txt does not block the site, which is a surprisingly common mistake carried over from staging.

Analytics and marketing

1. Google Analytics 4 is installed and purchase events are firing with correct values. See GA4 basics.
2. Google Search Console is verified.
3. Ad platform pixels (Google Ads, Meta) are installed and firing on purchase.
4. Google Business Profile and social profiles link to the new site.

People

1. Staff know how to process an order, a refund and a return.
2. Someone owns customer emails and knows the response time promise.
3. There is a plan for the first week: who checks orders, who watches for errors.
4. You have decided when to announce, and it is after the quiet period.

Then launch

Launch quietly, process a few days of real orders, fix what surfaces, and only then tell the world. Every store we have launched that way has had a calmer first month than the ones that announced first.

If you want a launch handled end to end, that is what we do. Read about our eCommerce service or request a quote.

Frequently asked questions